Electrical connectors provide electrical connections between devices in an electrical system, though contact terminals of the counterpart connectors. In some applications, for example in motorized vehicles which has a relatively higher level of safety requirements, some or all the contact terminals are temporarily short-circuited as a protective measure to devices connected to these terminals, before the electrical connection is established by mating the counterpart connectors. When the counterpart connectors are connected or mated, the temporary short circuit is broken, so as to assume normal connection functions of these terminals. When the connectors are disconnected, these terminals are short-circuited again and ready for a next time connection.
A shorting bar in the form of a metal piece is one typical type of device to provide the short-circuit function. A shorting bar is attached to the housing of a connector, with resilient contact portions urging against and electrically connect two or more contact terminals. The short circuit is not disconnected until the connector mates with a counterpart connector. Upon completion of mating, the short circuit is broken, so as to resume the electrical connection functions of these terminals.
In conventional connectors with the short circuit function, the shorting bar is attached to one of the connectors. On the counterpart connector, there is formed a thin plastic piece protruding outwardly from the connector housing. When the two connectors are brought together for mating, the protrusion is inserted between the shorting bar and the terminals to disconnect the shorting bar and the terminals. However, as the thin plastic piece faces the external side of the counterpart connector and is directly accessible from outside of the connector, such thin plastic piece is easy to be damaged during shipment or assembling process. Once the thin plastic piece is broken, the shorting bar on the counterpart connector can not be disconnected, which causes the whole connection system failure.
It is therefore desirable to provide an electrical connector with a safe and reliable shorting bar control device which can overcome the problems of conventional connectors.